'The Walking Dead' Season 3: Glen Mazzara Speaks Out about AMC Firing

Though 'The Walking Dead' season 3 has yet to premiere its final eight episodes on February 10, and Glen Mazzara's recent departure from the series won't be felt until the show's fourth season premiere this October, fans are still wondering what could have led to the schism between AMC and Mazzara that caused yet another show-runner shakeup. After keeping silent for months, Mazzara has finally spoken out about the circumstances of his departure, so get the latest on 'The Walking Dead's season 3 drama inside!

Saddened as we were to hear that 'The Walking Dead' show-runner Glen Mazzara wouldn't continue on with the series to a fourth season, most fans unanimously agreeing to his improvement on the third, it wasn't a complete surprise given AMC's history. And while everyone from 'Sons of Anarchy' creator Kurt Sutter to 'Walking Dead' comic creator Robert Kirkman had something to say, Mazzara remained curiously quiet about the affair.

Now, speaking at the National Association of Television Program Executives, Mazzara opened up about his dismissal by attributing the conflict to creative differences with AMC and executive producer / comic creator Robert Kirkman:

When people involved with the show are looking at the long-term plan, you know, they want something different. And what those differences are, you’d have to ask AMC.

I was a hired gun coming in to support the creator of the show and, through odd circumstances, I ended up becoming the showrunner. I was just glad that I was able to contribute and not mess up the show, I see that as a win.

When you are the creator you can say this is what the show is. I didn’t create the show, I didn’t create the comic book so I was just glad I was able to contribute.

Also present on the panel, 'LOST' show-runner and 'Star Trek Into Darkness' writer Damon Lindelof chimed in with a defense of both Mazzara and AMC, saying “I don’t know what the climate’s like at that show or at AMC, there’s different culture at every network. But I do think that there’s a bit of misconception in that if a show is doing very very well that there’s a laissez-faire attitude about ‘well, they must be doing something right so we’re going to leave them alone.'"

Writer / director Scott Gimple will take over for Mazzara when 'The Walking Dead' picks up for season 4 in October, but what say you? Do you think Glen Mazzara was unfairly ousted from 'The Walking Dead,' like Frank Darabont before him? Tell us what you're most looking forward to from the back half of the season, premiereing February 10!